A fan expresses himself during a football game at the Nanjing Olympic Center. [Yang Xi]

More than 200 Beijing Olympics cheer-squad volunteers listened carefully to a sports expert explaining the finer points of basketball. The associate professor from Capital Institute of Physical Education talked about its history, the rules and the etiquette of watching the game, made hugely popular in China by Yao Ming.

"When the US coach asked: 'When would China's basketball players catch up with the US team?' the Chinese coach answered: 'When the US ping-pong team plays as well as our team'."

Laughter erupted among the group, which included Jia Shuying, a 60-year-old woman who was part of last Friday's special cheer-squad gathering. She did not go to work that day, and instead rode her bicycle to her neighborhood residence committee to attend the meeting. Like everybody in the room, she donned a white cap and pink T-shirt, which had "Cheering from Beijing workers" written on the front.

She also held a golden ribbon, a purple pompom, and a pair of stick-shaped yellow balloons, which would be used later as a percussion instrument.

This was the sixth time Jia had attended the cheering training courses, which have been organized by Beijing Federation of Trade Unions. The courses are aimed at helping Beijingers better understand the different sports featured at the 2008 Games, and also instruct them how to be an enthusiastic and well-mannered audience.

The sports professor's basketball anecdotes made the class more interesting and what followed was a video replay of a match between the Chinese basketball team and the US.

A father and his daughter are among the cheer squad for the Chinese Women's Football Team during a game in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province. [Wu Jun]

The group became more excited and applauded the Chinese players when they performed well on court. The video gave them an opportunity to practice their cheering techniques, shout slogans and wave balloon tubes, ribbons and pompoms.

Two knocks of the tubes, then a shout: "Chinese athletes, fly!" Two knocks of the tubes again. Or, two shakes of the pompoms: "Come on, Chinese sportsmen!"

Jia and her friends enjoyed the sessions and performed with gusto and devotion, but they can't wait for the real thing next year.

Chen Huiping, one of the organizers of the group, says cheer squad training began in early June and aimed to prepare Beijingers for China's biggest-ever sporting event.

He wants to ensure local fans make a good impression to the world.

Workers cheer at a triathlon race held in Beijing's Changping District. [File photo]

"People shouting out bad language when watching sport games is definitely not the public image we want to present to the world in the coming 2008," he says.

"So, when we found that Japan and South Korea had promoted good manners among their people before the Olympic Games held in their countries, we wanted to do the same in China too."

"Cheering from Beijing Workers" is a program driven by the federation, whose branches in different districts in Beijing have taken an active part.

Almost every week over the past five months, a training course on knowledge of the Olympic Games and good manners has been held across the city and more than 80,000 workers have taken part so far.

Organizer Chen hopes to build the group into a major cheer squad of more than 1 million workers.

Chen says he and other organizers are negotiating with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), in the hope of letting the group enter arenas and create a big buzz for the athletes.

He says the project is already spreading enthusiasm among city residents.

"Every worker has a family and a workplace," he says.

"When those who have taken part in the training go back home, they will talk about what they have learned with their family; when they go to work, they will share their experience with colleagues.

"Sooner or later, the wider population will realize the importance of good behavior when watching a game."

Xu Jiahong, a 43-year-old sport fan, feels proud to be part of the squad and did not hide his joy on learning many interesting sporting facts.

Now he knows when to cheer and when to keep quiet.

"I know now when the tennis players are serving, you should not make any noise," he says, "and the audience can only cheer after the point is over."

Cui Mei, 21, practices waving her ribbons and slogans at home, and encourages her parents to join in.

"My parents actually envy me; they said everyone who has a chance to be part of the Olympics is lucky."

When asked whether she would feel disappointed if she was unable to buy a ticket for an event, Cui says even if she cannot personally attend, she will use her new cheering skills at every opportunity.

In fact, Cui and some other squad members have had the chance to show off their skills at the recent "Good Luck Beijing" events, which have acted as Games' warm-up events.

"It feels good to be part of a good-mannered audience," Cui says.